Liam in NME

Liam's second (!!) review in the NME:

Liam Frost and the Slowdown Family

Water Rats, London. Tuesday January 24th.

Lonely nights, sad songs, bad whiskey - being a somger-songwriter isn't exactly a party. Perhaps that's why Mancunian guitar-plucker Liam Frost has roped in a full band to help him through his month-long London residency. Like Arcade Fire escaping from a travelling circus and in posession of banjos and a drummer who looks bizarrely like Johnny Borrell, they certainly succeed in shaking stuff up. Tonight's set highlight 'Try Try Try' is an uplifting, harmonica-led anthem, while the bluegrass- inspired stomp of 'She Painted Pictures' could almost be Bright Eyes rolling around in a kaleidescope. And despite the dedication of 'I Woke Up From A Strange Dream' to a recently lost friend, the song is much more of a hoe-down than a wake.

Young, fun and riotously talented, Liam Frost and The Slowdown Family are a free-wheeling 21st century folk carnival. And, like a good whiskey, a very rare thing indeed.

Cat Goodwin